The existing Whatcom County jail in Washington requires additional capacity and improved infrastructure in order to safely incarcerate inmates. As such, the county is actively planning the construction of a new 520-bed jail along with an adjacent sheriff’s headquarters in Ferndale.

The Sheriff’s Office in Whatcom County is working hard to plan a new jail facility for the current overcrowded and outdated facility, which has been open since 1948. The existing jail, designed to hold 390 inmates, is facing significant overcrowding issues related to the county’s significant growth in the last 30 years and increased recidivism. Because of this overcrowding, many inmates with minor charges have been released early to free up space for other inmates who need to serve time.